WNBA: Is the Lynx’s Reeve the leading candidate for Coach of the Year?

In professional sports, a coach often gets much of the blame when things are going poorly, and little credit when things are going well.

During the 2024 WNBA season, however, several head honchos have shown that they deserve credit—and then some—for the performances of their squads: the Minnesota Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve, the Chicago Sky’s Teresa Weatherspoon and the New York Liberty’s Sandy Brondello. In turn, they’ve put themselves squarely in consideration for Coach of the Year honors, at least based on a half season of evidence.

Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx)

No, Cheryl Reeve has not lost her fastball. After a few wayward seasons following the retirement of franchise legends, Reeve has the Minnesota Lynx back in the position they occupied for much of the 2010s: near the top of the league and in contention for a championship.

While Minnesota made a series of shrewd offseason moves to upgrade their roster around a burgeoning MVP candidate in Napheesa Collier, Reeve has optimized those players’ contributions, with Courtney Williams thriving as a primary playmaker and Alanna Smith making a big impact by doing all the little things. Returning members of the Lynx also have blossomed under Reeve, epitomized not by Collier—who likely would be great in any situation—but by Kayla McBride, Bridget Carleton and Cecilia Zandalasini, back in Minnesota after not playing in the WNBA since 2018. The trio fires away with confidence from behind the arc, led by McBride—an All-Star for the first time since 2019—shooting 43.8 percent from 3 on almost seven attempts per game.

Reeve also has the Lynx playing one of the league’s most aesthetically-pleasing brands of basketball, with an offensive attack that emphasizes ball movement and 3-point shooting and a defensive identity founded on aggression and attention to detail. Of course, it’s the results that matter, and those have come for Minnesota. They lead the league in 3-point shooting and defense, helping them earn a 15-6 record and the Commissioner’s Cup Championship.

The uncertainty around Collier’s recent foot injury could cause Minnesota to lose some of their mojo, slide down the standings and, in turn, weaken Reeve’s Coach of the Year candidacy. Alternatively, if the Lynx can maintain their third spot…